Almost Every Household Is Worse Off Now Than It Was Three Years Ago

As the economy sputters along, consumers are feeling the squeeze
in their annual paychecks.

That's according to Sentier Research, whose latest report found
household incomes have been declining ever since the recovery
began in June 2009.

The numbers are striking: Yearly household income dwindled by 4.8
percent between June 2009 and 2012 from $53,508 to $50,964,
although several types of households fared much worse than
that.

"Based on our data, almost every group is worse off now than it
was three years ago, with the exception of households with
householders 65-years-old and over," said researcher Gordon
Green.

We took a closer look at the report to see who's falling
behind:

Non-family households: This group saw its real
median annual income decline by 7.5 percent, from $33,002 to
$30,512. Family households declined a little less than that by
4.7 percent.

Single households: Men living alone saw their
real median income drop by 9.4 percent, while women's dropped by
4.5 percent.

Black households: Compared to white and Hispanic
households, Black householders' income declined the most by 11.1
percent, from $35,567 to $32,498.

Householders without a college degree: People
with some education but no degree saw their real median annual
income slide by 9.3 percent, from $50,948 to $46,200. Associates
degree holders saw theirs taper off by 8.6 percent, from $60,602
to $55,374.

Self-employed households: This group's annual
income fell 9.4 percent, from $73,695 to $66,752. Private sector
workers fared only a little bit better, with a decline of 4.5
percent.

Households in the West: In contrast to
households in the Midwest region which barely saw a decline,
households in the West felt their yearly incomes decrease by 8.5
percent, from $59,065 to $54,071.

Households with householders between 55 and 66:
Compared to millennials who saw their real median household
income drop 8.9 percent, boomers' declined by 9.7 percent, from
$61,716 to $55,748.

In a surprising twist, householders between 65 and 74-years-old
got a boost in their income by 6.5 percent.